CHARLOTTE, N.C. — It pays to the be the first at the till. Especially if you’re selling Obama swag.

The gift shop is stop number one for Obama fans and delegates filtering into the city early for the Democratic National Convention Saturday. This makeshift shop, set up on the second floor of the Charlotte Convention Centre has dealt with a constant steady stream of customers — and they’ve only been open a few hours.

They’re selling shirts made from 100% North Carolina cotton (how local of them), purple t-shirts expressing the LGBT community’s support for Obama, hoodies with ‘Obama 2012’ stylishly emblazoned down the back. And my personal favourite, “Obama Y’all.”

Sarah Boesveld/National Post

One woman tries to pick between two t-shirts: One with the Charlotte city skyline and ‘Charlotte 2012’ tag written across it, the other with a big blue Obama slogan down the side. I tell her the Charlotte one is nicer.

“Yes, but it doesn’t say ‘Obama’ on it,” she said.

A breathless Erin Vera from Colorado Springs and her sister Nikki Falhsing are manning the crush of pre-convention goers filtering through their shop. They opened early Saturday morning — the full store isn’t quite ready to fling open its doors (maybe they’re waiting on their ‘This chair’s taken,’ t-shirts?)

Cup of Joe anyone?

Sarah Boesveld/National Post

And in case you were also in the questioning camp, Mr. Obama insists he is Made in America. Want proof? Here’s his birth certificate:

Sarah Boesveld/National Post

Buttons, selling for $2.50, are among the most popular items.

Sarah Boesveld/National Post

But the Democratic National Convention lanyards for delegates to stuff their credentials in are the real hot seller.

Sarah Boesveld/National Post

“I couldn’t even get one last year,” said David Escamilla from Austin Texas, who was picking up a pair for himself and his wife Doralee Thrascher. Being from Texas, a state with a heck of a showing at the Romney-Ryan blowout in Tampa last week, I had to ask what she thought of Obama’s task this time around.

“No one single human being can save the world,” Ms. Thrascher said. “But I do think our president we have right now has the single greatest chance of improving the economy.”